Defense Articles

Since radar detectors are generally expensive, some people prefer to buy cheap radar detectors. For manufacturers and dealers, cheap radar detectors are a promotional technique used to increase their sales. Customers are satisfied with cheap radar detectors because they provide the same quality and service as that of expensive, high-end models at a much lower price.

The price of cheap radar detectors generally depends on the category, installation, and type. Cordless radar detectors, traditional corded units, and remote mounted units are some of the types available. There are several sources to get cheap radar detectors. One of the best sources to find cheap radar detectors is stores offering products at discount rates. Many radar detector dealers, both stores and online, sell high quality radar detectors at discounts. These stores get products from the radar detector manufacturers at cheap prices. Generally, their aim is to increase sales by cutting on profit margins. Another popular option for cheap radar detectors is buying used ones. Classified ads, estate sales, and garage sales are among the sources where customers can get great deals on used radar detectors. Some stores even have a section exclusively for used radar detectors. Cheap radar detectors can also be bought from outlets or companies, who want to replace their existing models with the latest ones.

A cheap radar detector is not necessarily a high quality product. Hence, before purchasing a cheap radar detector, it is necessary to make a thorough research on cheap radar detectors available in the market. Quality, sensitivity and memory, display and volume, and brand name and model must be taken into consideration. It is always wise to buy cheap radar detectors sold by top brands like Beltronics, Cobra, and Whistler, as they offer some kind of warranty. Sometimes, manufacturers offer free shipping for cheap radar detectors on making a minimum purchase.

Problem is that if you type into any search engine “video converter for iPod” you get hundreds of results. Which is the best program ? Do they all work the same way? Let´s test five of the most popular Pc programs and see how they compare.

In this review we will test:

- Cucusoft iPod Video Converter
- Xilisoft iPod Video Converter
- iPod Video Converter 2007
- Plato iPod Video Converter
- Yasa iPod Video Converter

We will compare the price, easy of use, effectiveness.

Price:

1- iPod Video Converter 2007 -$19.95
2- Plato iPod Video Converter -$25.00
3- Xilisoft iPod Video Converter -$29.00
4- Cucusoft iPod Video Converter -$29.95
5- Yasa iPod Video Converter -$35.00

The winner here is iPod Video Converter 2007 that at $19.95 it is the cheapest of the programs.

Easy of use:

1- iPod Video Converter 2007 - The most easy program to use (5/5)
2- Xilisoft iPod Video Converter Easy to use, nice interface (4/5)
3- Plato iPod Video Converter - Easy to use, decent interafce, many options (4/5)
4- Yasa iPod Video Converter - Decent interface, many options (3/5)
5- Cucusoft iPod Video Converter - Basic Interface (3/5)

The winner here is iPod Video Converter 2007, the best interface, easy to use even without reading a manual.

Effectiveness:

1- Xilisoft iPod Video Converter - Was able to convert all the movies we tested and has many output options (5/5)
2- iPod Video Converter 2007 - Was able to convert all the movies we tested (4/5)
3- Plato iPod Video Converter - Failed to convert .mov videos (3/5)
4- Yasa iPod Video Converter - Failed to convert .mov videos, crashed many times the Pc (2/5)
5- Cucusoft iPod Video Converter - Failed to convert most videos and is a very unstable program (2/5)

The winner here is Xilisoft iPod Video Converter, it converted all the videos without any problem and has many output options.

Ratings:

1- iPod Video Converter 2007 - 91%
2- Xilisoft iPod Video Converter - 85%
3- Plato iPod Video Converter - 73%
4- Yasa iPod Video Converter - 70%
5- Cucusoft iPod Video Converter - 62%

Conclusions:

There are many programs out there that convert video files for the iPod, the five we tested are some of the most popular, but we do have to say that we where a bit disappointed with some results.

Yasa iPod Video Converter and Cucusoft iPod Video Converter where very unstable and often crashed on different computers, Plato iPod Video Converter failed to convert .mov videos. All in all the winner is iPod Video Converter 2007, it has the best interface, it is the most easy to use and simply delivered good quality video output for any video we tested.

Radar detector manufacturers are constantly playing a game of catch-up with new technologies designed to nab the lead-footed, some of the critical factors when buying a Radar Detector are :

False Alarms : The case when too many false alarms occur. If your Radar Detector constantly falses than you’ll start to ignore it eventually - and then in a case of a real radar trap it will be too late.

x/k Radar Sensitivity : These frequencies have been used already in the 60 and 70, therefore the radar detectors manufacturers already know how to detect them from miles.

KA Radar Sensitivity : More expensive components are required for this type of frequency, most manufacturers prefer not to include this feature to save money on the development of the device.

Gatso Sensitivity: usually used in Speed Cameras, this the most widely used worldwide frequency - only very good K-Band sensitivity will help you here…

“Pop” Radar Technology : A relatively new instant-on technology that may make a whole generation of radar detectors obsolete. These radar guns operate at low frequency until they are switched on to determine a driver’s speed with lightning-fast accuracy. This leaves a radar detector little opportunity to scan and detect the radar signal.

Pop radar may sound ominous, but a new crop of radar detectors offer Pop radar detection. Sometimes Pop detection is not enabled by default in the radar detector, however; users must turn it on in the settings menu.

Manufacturers probably chose to disable Pop detection by default because its increased sensitivity also increases false alerts. However, first-time radar detector users might be in for a surprise if they neglect to turn it on. Choose from a selection that includes cordless radar detector or laser jammer from Bel, Cobra, Escort, Rocky Mountain, and Phantom. Usually online merchants have great customer service policies as well as great deals on radar detectors.

If you are living in Europe, you must be aware of the fact that in most European countries it is illegal to use a speed trap detector or radar detector and, in some, it is illegal to even own one. For example, the use of a radar detector is illegal in France, fines and confiscation of the vehicle can occur if caught with one. So do be careful.

The correct placement of a radar detector is as low in the front windshield as possible. Don’t own a nice car? Radar detectors can make your friends jealous since it makes you look cool and obviously a cut above the rest.

A high performance radar detector detects police radar clocking the cars ahead of you and gives you time to slow down to avoid speeding tickets. Radar detectors are also a fantastic way to measure the performance of your car. A notable performance fact is the Cobra 12 band ultra performance radar detector’s performance of this detector is light years ahead. The 12 bands speak oodles about the product itself. Another notable brand of radar detectors is the Vector 955 High Performance Radar Detector that is available at a list Price of $199. In some websites or shops you might get it cheaper.

I would sum this up by saying: A radar detector is an electronic device used by motorists to determine if their speed is being monitored. But please – always remember that no radar detector is 100% accurate all of the time. Always wear your seatbelts and don’t drink and drive – it isn’t worth it.

What is a Radar?

Radar is an acronym for radio detection and ranging. The Average Radar contains a K-Band microwave RF (radio frequency) transmitter whose signal gets reflected by the target object. The reflected signal will have a Doppler shift proportional to the target speed.

This Doppler frequency shift is detected in the receiver, amplified, filtered, and then digitized in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and passed onto the digital signal processing (DSP) chip. Using complex algorithms, the DSP chip filters out false and low-level return signals to identify the speed of the desired target. The speed, along with various statistics and averages, is then displayed on the LCD.

How is speed calculated? Speed is calculated using the difference between the transmit frequency and receive frequency (also known as the Doppler shift).

How accurate are Radars?

The Average accurate to within +/-1 mph.

How does the user need to be positioned in relation to the moving object? The Average Radar works best when positioned in front of or behind the moving object.

Can radar guns determine the speed of an object moving in any direction ? No, Doppler radar can only determine the relative speed of targets moving either toward or away from the radar.

Does angle affect accuracy?

A 12-degree angle should not affect performance. The average Radar is accurate to within +/-1 mph for a baseball 75 feet away at an angle of 12 degrees or less. A 20-degree angle at 60 feet away would result in an accuracy of +/-3 mph.

The Radar detector only identifes a radar signal, while a Radar Detector a specially modulated field of light in front of the vehicle to muddle radar and laser gun readings.

These types of Radar Jammers are legal because they transmit light instead of radio frequencies to make your vehicle electronically invisible to police radar and laser guns.